Seattle Saturday: Instant Auntie

I got an urgent call Saturday to fly to Seattle. I reserved a hotel near the hospital and headed to the airport.

After a visit to the Medical Center, we had a late dinner at the little hospital take-out. We headed back to my hotel so everyone could take a break. My friend Anne’s 12-year-old daughter Eartha hung out for awhile. Then I just kinda kept her. And I didn’t give her back until she had to return to school. As much as the fluffy bedding might have helped her feel more comfortable during a rough week, Eartha’s boundless energy and fearlessness were exactly what I needed. (her name has been changed, and yes, she picked her own).

Sunday morning we ordered room service and cozied up in our beds watching Twilight. Little did I know that was going to be one of many, many viewings of Twilight. Eartha figured out that if you paused the movie 5 minutes before it was over and rewound it you could watch it over and over and over…

We hit Pike Place market in the afternoon. There was a huge crowd, it being a long weekend.

Sadly World Class Chili is no more. Most likely due to the recent loss of the owner, Joe Canavan.

Mr. Canavan died Nov. 11 2008 while vacationing in Maui with his wife of 48 years, Dorothy. While snorkeling for the first time, he took in water after possibly suffering a heart attack or stroke and died the next day. He was 78.

Mr. Canavan had bounced back from a heart attack in 1980 to run a marathon and climb Mount Rainier. More recently, he had returned to the Market after a hip replacement.

Luckily there were still donuts. Fresh out of the fryer, they are the best donuts in the world. After sitting for a few hours, they are pretty comparable to grocery store donuts.